Toy incorporating a resilient coil and a method of using same

ABSTRACT

A toy and a method for washing a body of an individual are provided. The toy includes a resilient coil with one or more bodies attached to the coil. Preferably, one of the bodies is made from soap and may be used as a tub toy for, for example, a child. The bodies are preferably in the shape of an identifiable object or creature. The toy is constructed such that one or both of the bodies may be replaced, and the coil may be re-used with the new body or bodies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a tub toy and/or asoap toy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tub toyand/or soap toy that preferably forms a character and has a bodyincluding a resilient coil. Still further, the present invention relatesto a method for using the toy to wash or to clean a body of anindividual.

[0002] Tub toys and the like are particularly popular with youngerchildren for a number of reasons. On the one hand, the ability to playin the water is a unique experience, and tub toys can facilitate waterplay for children, in particular. On the other hand, some kids shy awayfrom bath time, and bathtub toys encourage the taking of a bath anddistract away from what the child might perceive to be an unpleasantexperience. Tub toys are generally known including those having avariety of forms, including, for example, boats and devices that squirtwater.

[0003] Resilient coil toys are well known in the art. In particular, themost famous resilient coil toy is sold under the registered trademarkSLINKY® by James Industries, Inc. The SLINKY® resilient coil toy is madefrom a helically wound metal coil or plastic member or extrusion, andthe coil may be expanded and contracted. The resilient coil, among otherthings, may walk down stairs as the toy extends from one stair to theother, collapses, and then falls over to the next stair. However, no tubtoys using a resilient coil are known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a new and uniquetub and resilient coil toy as well as a method of using the same.

[0005] An important aspect of this invention, therefore, lies inproviding a new tub toy that incorporates a resilient coil and forms anew and unique toy for use, for example, in a pool, bathtub, or otherenvironment that includes water. In an embodiment, the tub toy takes theform of a character having a main body formed from the resilient coiland a head and tail formed from molded soap blocks. The resilient coilpermits the head and tail to be moved relative to each other as theresilient coil expands and contracts and facilitates play with the toyin, for example, a bathtub. For example, a tub toy may take the form ofa sea creature may be made to swim or serpentine through the water, forexample, as a head and tail on the body of the creature may be moved sothat the resilient coil flexes to give the appearance of movement.

[0006] In an embodiment, the tub toy may be formed of a first bodyincluding a resilient coil and having a first end and a second end. Asecond body may be formed from soap and may be provided on one of theends of the first body. The resilient coil may include a first end plateand a second end plate at its ends for attachment to the second soapbody or other soap bodies.

[0007] The end plates preferably include a projection or other memberfor permitting selectable attachment and detachment of a selected soapbody to the coil. For example, after the original soap body provided onthe coil dissolves, the user may purchase one or more new soap bodiesand may connect them to the projection on the first end plate and/or thesecond end plate of the coil to form a new character.

[0008] The resilient coil is preferably covered with cloth or fabric. Inan embodiment, the resilient coil may be covered with a cylindricalsleeve of cloth that covers the outer surface of the resilient coil andmay extend between the first end and the second end of the coil. In analternate embodiment, a smaller sleeve of cloth may encircle and mayextend along the helically-wound member that forms the coil. Theresilient coil may, of course, be covered with cloth in other ways. In apreferred embodiment, a first soap body may be provided at one end ofthe resilient coil, and a second soap body may be secured at the secondend of the resilient coil. The first soap body may form a head of acharacter, and the second soap body may form a tail of the character. Inpreferred embodiments, the head and tail, as well as the resilient coilbody, form a sea creature, such as a serpent, a fish, a whale, etc.However, it may be understood that the tub toy of the present inventionmay be used to make a variety of items, including, but not limited to,characters, animals, or objects, such as submarines, telescopes, and thelike.

[0009] In an embodiment, the resilient coil may include a limited numberof wound coils for limiting the length to which the resilient coil maybe extended. For example, if a tub toy forms a character such as aserpent, it may be desirable to limit the length of the serpent to, forexample, approximately twelve inches. In another embodiment, a limitingmember may be provided to limit a range of movement of the coil betweenapproximately one inch and twelve inches, or other similar dimensionsdepending on the particular character or object of the tub toy.

[0010] Additional features and advantages of the present invention aredescribed in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of thepresently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a tub toy of the presentinvention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of an embodiment of the tub toy ofthe present invention.

[0013]FIG. 3 is an exploded, partially cut away, side view of anembodiment of the tub toy of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of an alternateembodiment of a fabric sleeve covering for the resilient coil of the tubtoy of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an alternate embodiment of thetub toy of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to likeparts, FIGS. 1-3 generally illustrate an embodiment of a tub toy 10 ofthe present invention. The tub toy 10 may include a first or centralbody 11 that may be formed at least in part from a resilient coil 12.The resilient coil 12 preferably has a first end 13 and a second end 14.The resilient coil 12 may be made from a helically-wound wire or member15 that may be wound in a helix to form the cylindrically-shaped coil 12that may extend between the first end 13 and the second end 14.

[0017] The resilient coil 12 and helically-wound member 15 may befabricated using conventional means which may be used to make currentresilient coil toys that are on the market, such as those sold under theregistered trademark SLINKY® by James Industries, Inc. In a particularapplication of the tub toy 10, the member 15 is preferably made ofplastic rather than metal to avoid problems with, for example, corrosionand the like.

[0018] The present invention lies in adapting the resilient coil 12 tocreate the tub toy 10 which may be used for amusement purposes or thelike by, for example, a child. To accomplish this objective, the tub toy10 may further include at least a second body 16 that may be disposed atthe first end 13 of the resilient coil 12. The second body 16 ispreferably formed from soap and may be molded into the shape of acharacter. Any one of a number of conventional soaps that are bathtubfriendly and that may be molded to desired shapes may be employed forforming the soap body used in the present invention.

[0019] As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the resilient coil 12 mayinclude an end plate member 17 at the first end 13, and a second endplate number 18 at the second end 14. The end plates 17 and 18 may be,for example, circular plates that are preferably formed of plastic. Theend plates 17 and 18 may be directly or indirectly connected to one ormore of the end loops of the helical coil 12 at the respective ends.

[0020] The helical coil 12 is preferably covered with a cover. In theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the fabric cover may take the formof a cylindrical sleeve 19, preferably made from a fabric or cloth orother like material, that may encapsulate the entire coil 12. The sleeve19 may be formed, for example, of terry cloth or other soft andresilient cloth materials suitable for bathtub toys. The sleeve 19 mayhave ends 19(a) and 19(b) that may be secured to the end plates 17 and18.

[0021] In addition to providing a soft outer surface for the resilientcoil 12, the sleeve 19 may act as a mechanism for limiting the distancethat the coil 12 may be extended. The sleeve 19 may have sufficientresiliency and a preset length that may permit the coil 12 to becompletely contracted and also expanded to a certain distance, but notto an undue length. For example, the sleeve 19 may limit theexpandability of the coil 12 to between, for example, one inch andtwelve inches. However, it should be understood by those skilled in theart that the length of extendibility of the coil 12 may varyconsiderably depending upon the desired application or character of thetub toy 10.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the end plates 17 and 18 preferably include aprojection 20 for attachment to soap bodies, such as the first soap body16. The soap body 16 may have an aperture 21 that permits the soap body16 to be, for example, snap fit to either one of the end plates 17 and18. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art thatother mechanisms may be implemented for securing the ends plates 17 and18 to the soap body 16. The projection 20 is preferably adapted forpermitting attachment and detachment of a selected soap body such that asoap body may be interchangeably connectable to the resilient coil 12.Further, after the soap body dissolves after use, a new soap body may bepurchased or otherwise obtained and may be connected to one or both ofthe end plates 17 and 18 of the resilient coil 12.

[0023] In another embodiment of the present invention, one of the soapbodies attached to the end plates 17 or 18 may be replaced with a spongeor other cloth. Preferably, a tail section of a known creature, such asa fish or serpent or the like, may be made from a sponge or strips ofcloth or other material that may be used in conjunction with the soapbody 16 attached at an opposite end of the body 12. As a result, a soapand a washing cloth or sponge are implemented in combination for bothamusement and for washing and/or cleaning the body of an individual,such as a child. Of course, many arrangements of the bodies that may beattached to the body 12 may be implemented by those skilled in the art.

[0024] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the tub toy 10preferably includes the central body 11, a first soap body 16 and asecond soap body 22. The first soap body 16 and the second soap body 22may be connected as shown to the end plates 17 and 18 of the resilientcoil 12 so that the first soap body 16 and the second soap body 22 maybe moved relative to each other by either expanding or contracting theresilient coil 12.

[0025] The first soap body 16 and the second soap body 22 preferablytake the form, respectively, of a molded head 23 and a tail 24. As shownin FIGS. 1-3, the combination of the head 23, the body 12, and the tail24 may form an aquatic character, such as, for example, a serpent orother sea creature. As another example, referring to FIG. 5, the head 23and the tail 24 may take the form of a head and tail of a whale or othersimilar sea creature.

[0026] While the tub toy 10 may preferably be used to form a seacreature to maintain consistency with the water theme of the toy, itshould be understood that the tub toy 10 may be formed as a variety ofdifferent characters or objects dependent upon the desired effect. Forexample, the tub toy 10 may include a central body 11 formed of aresilient coil 12 and soap bodies to form other animals (such as dogs,cats, horses, bulls, cows, etc.), objects (such as telescopes,submarines, boats, etc.), or any one of a number of variety of otheritems suitable, for example, for children and tub toys.

[0027] In the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the covering for thecoil 12 may take the form of a fabric sleeve 25 that may extend alongthe helically-wound member 15. In other words, the fabric sleeve 25 mayfollow along the coil 15 and does not encapsulate the entire coil 12,such as the sleeve 19 shown and described with reference to, forexample, FIGS. 1 and 2. This construction may permit access to theinside of the cylindrical coil 12 for placing objects, such as, forexample, other soap bars, within the body 11 of the tub toy 10 or forother activities that may, for example, provide amusement or the like.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, the coil 12 may include alternative meansfor limiting the extendibility of the coil 12. In the embodiment shownin FIG. 5, the coil 12 may include on its interior a resilient cord 26that may be attached to the end plates 13 and 14. The resilient cord 26may be made of resilient fabric or rubber and may have a pre-selectedlength to limit the overall extendability of the coil 12 to a desiredlength, such as, for example, to a maximum length of one or two feet.The resilient cord 26 may also be wrapped around one side of the coil 12rather than disposed in the middle of the coil 12. The resilient cord 26may be particularly useful for use in conjunction with the embodiment,such as shown in FIG. 4, having a fabric sleeve 25 that may follow alongthe coil 12 rather than encapsulating the entire coil 12. The range ofmovement and length of the resilient coil 12 may vary considerably.Preferably, a variable length between one inch and twelve inches, forexample, may be implemented for most tub toys although any length may beimplemented by one skilled in the art.

[0029] Although the present invention has been described with referenceto using the toy in a bathtub, it should be understood that anyenvironment, preferably an environment that includes water, such as apool, lake, ocean or the like, may be desirable for using the toy of thepresent invention.

[0030] Further, although the present invention has been described in itspreferred embodiment using soap at one or both of the first end or thesecond end of the toy, it should be understood that the soap at one orboth of the ends may be replaced with a molded plastic, molded rubber orother like piece at one or both of the ends and may attach to theresilient coil. The toy may also incorporate, for example, a noisemaking mechanism which may create, for example, a “squeak” or othernoise when pressure or the like is applied to one or more of the piecesat the end of the toy. Similarly, other noise making devices, such asone or more jingling bells, may be incorporated in the toy of thepresent invention.

[0031] It should be understood that various changes and modifications tothe presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention andwithout diminishing its attendant advantages. It is, therefore, intendedthat such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A toy comprising: a first body formed from a resilient coilhaving a first end and a second end; and a second body formed from soapat one of the first end and the second end of the first body.
 2. The toyof claim 1 further comprising: a first end plate at the first end or thefirst body; and a second end plate at the second end of the first body.3. The toy of claim 2 wherein the second body is secured to the firstend plate.
 4. The toy of claim 1 further comprising: a covering aroundthe first body.
 5. The toy of claim 1 further comprising: a sleevearound the resilient coil.
 6. The toy of claim 1 wherein the resilientcoil is formed of a helically-wound member and a covering that encirclesand extends along the helically-wound member.
 7. The toy of claim 1further comprising: a third body at the other of the first end and thesecond end of the first body.
 8. The toy of claim 7 wherein the secondbody forms a head of a known character and the third body forms a tailof the known character.
 9. The toy of claim 7 wherein the third body isformed from soap.
 10. The toy of claim 8 wherein the head and the tailof the character, in combination with the first body formed from theresilient coil, represent a sea creature.
 11. The toy of claim 1 furthercomprising: a projection associated with the first end of the first bodyadapted to be secured to the second body.
 12. The toy of claim 1 furthercomprising: a resilient limiting member extending along the first body.13. A tub toy comprising: a central body formed from a resilient coilhaving a first end and a second end; an end plate associated with atleast one of the first ends and the second ends; and a soap body securedto the at least one of end plates at the first end of the central bodyand at the second end of the central body.
 14. The tub toy of claim 13further comprising: a second body secured to the other one of the firstend or the second end.
 15. The tub toy of claim 14 wherein the soap bodyis shaped to form a head and the second body is shaped to form a tail.16. The tub toy of claim 15 wherein the head and the tail form a seacreature.
 17. The tub toy of claim 13 further comprising: a resilientlimiting member extending along the resilient coil.
 18. The tub toy ofclaim 13 further comprising: a sleeve extending between the first endand the second end of the coil.
 19. The tub toy of claim 13 furthercomprising: a sleeve that covers and extends along a helically-woundmember that forms the coil.
 20. The tub toy of claim 13 furthercomprising: a projection on the end plate.
 21. The tub toy of claim 13wherein the resilient coil has a length between one inch and twelveinches.
 22. A method for washing a body of an individual, the methodcomprising the steps of: providing a first body formed from a resilientcoil having a first end and a second end; providing a second body formedfrom soap; and attaching the second body to the first body.
 23. Themethod of claim 22 further comprising the steps of: providing a thirdbody; and attaching the third body to the first body.
 24. The method ofclaim 22 wherein the second body forms at least a portion of anidentifiable object.